Dental-dam holder.



F.-H. NlES.

DENTAL DAM HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-27.1915.

1,287,733. Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

WITNESSES By Attorneys,

IQE.

FREDERICK HAROLD NIES, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

DENTAL-DAM HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1'7, 1918.

Application filed September 27, 1915. Serial No. 52,788.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK I-I. NIEs, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Dental-Dam Holders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to dental dam holders or similar devices, and aims to provide certain improvements therein.

Many forms of dental dam holders have been proposed, but these have usually placed a tension on the dam, with the result that the latter has been apt to be stretched away from the tooth or teeth, thus permitting moisture from the mouth to leak down into or around the cavity being filled. In the case of gold fillings, as is well-known, any moisture is destructive to the work.

According to the present invention I provide a dam holder which establishes two substantially fixed points preferably at the cheeks of the patient, and at such points the holder is provided with means for connection with the dam so that the latter may be adjusted to lie smoothly and evenly, and yet without undue tension. According to the preferred form of the invention the holder is constructed of spring metal (preferably wire) and the ends bear against the cheeks of the patient and constitute fixed points, above referred to. By preference the holder is formed of two curved or semi-oircular pieces of wire connected at their rear ends to slide for adjustment purposes and provided at their front ends with bars, plates, or other members designed to bear against the cheeks and having suflicient area, and being of a form or shape, to avoid injury to the skin or discomfort to the patient. The invention also comprises other features of improvement, which will be hereinaftermore fully described.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate the invention,

Figure 1 is a view showing the dam holder in place.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the preferred form.

Fig. 8.is a still larger view in elevation, showing one of the attachment bars.

Fig. 4; is a detail of one of the adjustment handles.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view.

Fig. 6 is a plan View of a modified form of attaching member.

Fig. 7 is a plan.

Fig. 8 is a side view of another modified form of attaching member.

Referring first to Figs. 14, let A A indicate two semi-circular or curved pieces of wire, each of which carries at its end a small block B or B which is provided with a hole through which the opposite piece slides. By this means the holder may be adjusted, so that its ends C C approach to or recede from each other. In order to assist in the adjustment, handles D D are preferably provided, each of which handles is shown as formed with two holes for the passage of the wires, one of the wires being fixed to each of the handles, and the other wire sliding therethrough.

When the device is adjusted in place, as shown in Fig. 1, the two ends C C bear against the cheeks of the patient with sulficient force to hold their positions against the slight weight of the free flaps of the rubber dam. The precise points against which the ends press is immaterial, but it is desirable that they engage the cheeks of the patient, since they can then be engaged directly with a dam of the usual dimensions. If the ends of the wire were permitted to directly engage the cheeks, their area would be so small as to tend to injure the skin of the patient or at least be uncomfortable in use. Therefore, it is desirable to employend pieces of some considerable area so that the pressure against the checks is. distributed. It is also desirable to have some convenient means for attachment to the rubber dam itself at the two points mentioned. In the preferred construction both functions are performed by the bars E E which are preferably pivoted or swiveled to the ends of the Wire so that they can .tilt to conform to the contour of the checks. The bars E E also constitute the engaging means for the dam, the latter being either stretched over the ends of the bars in a well-known manner, or placed beneath the bars as shown in Fig. 3.

Other forms of cheek pieces may be employed and other forms of engaging means for the dam. In Figs. 5 and 6 the cheek piece is in the form of a substantially flat plate curved slightly to conform to the contour of the cheek. It is connected with the wire A in any suitable way. As shown, the

piece E.

and 2, with the exception that the clamp is in the form of a spring clip H and is fastened to the wire just above the cheek The holder is preferably constructed of spring metal so that it may be adjusted to approximately the dimensions required and sprung apart to place it in position. In use the body of the holder will usually pass over the top of the head or toward the back of the head. If desired the adjustable feature may be omitted and the springiness of the metal relied upon to give the necessary adjustments to suit different patients. Or the device may be made of stifl material and be adjusted while in place to secure the necessary tension, or other means may be substituted for securing the spring action. The device may be of such dimensions as to engage other points of the patients face than the cheeks, but it is important that the engagement be on the exterior of the patients head, and preferably at points where the movements of the mouth will not dislodge the holder.

An important feature of the construction thus described is that it may be constructed entirely of hard material such as metal, and hence may be easily and quickly sterilized by boiling or otherwise.

lVhile I have shown and described several embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto, since various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirlt of the invention.

What I claim is 1. A holder for dams or the like, comprising a member adapted to encircle and fit loosely over the head or neck, the ends of the member being spaced apart and arranged to engage the cheeks, and the member being resilient so that it presses the ends The clamp is intended to enagainst the cheeks whereby the device is mainly held in its proper position by such pressure of the ends.

2. A holder for dams or the like, comprising a member adapted to encircle and fit loosely over the head or neck, the ends of the member being spaced apart and arranged to engage the cheeks, and the member being resilient so that it presses the ends against the cheeks whereby the device is mainly held in its proper position by such pressure of the ends, and said ends having cheek pieces adapted to engage the dam.

3. A holder for dams or the like, comprising a resilient member adapted to encircle the neck or head, the ends of the resilient member being spaced apart and being pressed against the cheeks by the resiliency of the member whereby to hold-the dam beneath its ends, and said ends having engaging means for connection with the dam, and said resilient member being formed in two parts adjustable with relation to each other whereby to vary the degree of separation of its ends.

A holder for dams or the like, comprising a pair of wire members overlapping each other at their rear, a block carried by each member through which the other member passes, a handle for each member through which the other member passes, the free ends of said wire members being adapted to press against the head of the patient, and means for connecting a dam to said holder.

5. A holder for dams or the like, comprising a pair of wire members overlapping each other at their rear, a block carried by each member through which the other member passes, a handle for each member through which the other member passes, the free ends of said wire members being adapted to press against the head of the patient, and means for connecting a dam to said holder, said means comprising swiveled bars.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERIGK HAROLD NIES.

Witnesses WILLIAM H. BoURNE, MILLAR BRITT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

